Hurry Sickness

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Have you ever heard the adage, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get?” Coined back in the 1950s, “hurry sickness” describes the discomfort of a person who feels chronically short of time. He typically performs tasks faster and faster and then gets flustered with any kind of delay.

You might suffer from “hurry sickness” if you…
Try to put on your make-up, drink your Starbucks, and answer your cell phone, all while driving to work.
Consistently play the game, “Who can get into the car and buckle your seat belt the fastest?” with your kids.
Repeat the word “hurry” four times in a row to each family member every Sunday while getting ready to go to church.
Usually drive 10 or more miles per hour over the speed limit.
Get really impatient with people in the checkout line who wait until the cashier has rung up the last item before digging into that bottomless purse to find the checkbook and finally write the check. (Why isn’t everyone using a check card by now anyway?)
Dart around in traffic passing everyone going slower than you even though it will only get you one car length ahead at the traffic light. (Well at least you get a little ahead.)
View “hanging out” as a total waste of time.

I suffer from “hurry sickness.” Unfortunately, I actually choose to hurry because I think I can get so much more done if I hurry. Can’t I get more done for the kingdom if I hurry? (Note my rationalization.) I often get caught on the treadmill of life by over planning, over scheduling and over committing when I need to be overcoming. I need to overcome the temptation to speed through life and spend more time abiding in Christ. Ultimately, the constant need to hurry can become an addiction and rob me from what I really need to be doing – abiding in Christ.

Abide in me, and I will abide in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. John 15:4

This verse is a reminder that we must abide or “remain” in him and he will “remain” in us. In order to “remain,” we need to be “still” in him. And how can we avoid the exhortation in Psalm to be still? It’s hard to be in a hurry when we’re still, isn’t it?

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

The Greek word kairos refers to the moments when you let go of time and become totally absorbed in what you’re doing. I know I need a little more kairos and a lot less hurry. Fellow sufferers, let’s unite and try to find the balance between seizing every moment and dwelling in the moment.

Have a kairos day!

Check out the this site for suggestions to overcoming “hurry sickness.” http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/practices/features.php?id=16794

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